- Sheik Sani Yahaya Jingir pointed out that hunger is not a new phenomenon and referenced historical instances where people endured severe hunger
- He then urged Nigerians to be patient and avoid protests.
- Other clerics like Dr. Samuel Uche encouraged continuous prayer, suggesting that divine intervention is the best solution to the country's problems.
This story starts with the declaration of ‘The Year of Optimism’ which clerics declared in 2023 - they were referring to 2024, the year currently experiencing an over 40% food inflation rate and a fast-paced deterioration of personal wealth; just say increasing poverty.
The National President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Wale Oke urged Nigerians to be optimistic.
Speaking on behalf of the PFN, he said Nigerians should be thankful to God for preserving them in 2023, and the attitude that they should continue in 2024.
“No matter what happened in the past, the Lord saw us through, and now we are here.”
He noted that the New Year would come with its diverse challenges, “we should, however, know that challenges are the food of champions. Rather than pretending that the challenges are not there, we should look them straight in the eyes and tackle them one by one with the help and the wisdom of God.”
The Prelate Emeritus of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Uche, said Nigerians have reasons to thank God, not minding the fact that the citizens started myriads of challenges, including the challenges of cashless policy, fuel price hike like, but “the Bible says in everything, we should thank God. The Bible says in 1st Thessalonians 5:17, “Rejoice evermore”. Since we are still alive, ours is to pray that things will be well and we will smile again.”
Most of the time, these clerics ask Nigerians to pray, like Nigeria is not already one of the most religious nations on earth - hypocritically though.
But, just as they asked, Nigerians have continued to pray because if they don’t, Satan will make a mess of the country. I know what you are thinking.
A quick list of Nigeria’s problems
- In February, the Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, decried the increasing level of poverty in the country, saying things are not okay in Nigeria.
- Inflation and high living costs are major concerns, with the prices of food and other essential goods continually rising, making it difficult for the average Nigerian to afford basic necessities.
- Despite expectations for improved resource allocation in healthcare, the sector continues to receive insufficient funding. The budget for healthcare is far below the recommended 15% of the national budget, leading to poor service delivery and limited access to essential medical services, particularly in rural areas.
- Many Nigerians struggle to access basic healthcare services. There are significant gaps in the availability of emergency services, primary care, and specialist treatments, which are often unaffordable and inaccessible to those in need.
- The nation faces severe security issues, including high rates of violent crimes, kidnappings, and insurgencies. This insecurity not only endangers lives but also disrupts economic activities and social stability.
- The education sector is plagued with problems such as inadequate infrastructure, underfunding, and a shortage of qualified teachers. These issues contribute to poor educational outcomes and limit opportunities for many Nigerian youths.
- Corruption continues to undermine public trust and the effectiveness of government initiatives. Poor governance and mismanagement of resources hinder the country's development and exacerbate existing problems.
- The lack of reliable infrastructure, including roads, electricity, and water supply, affects daily life and economic productivity. Poor infrastructure also hampers the delivery of healthcare and education services.
Sigh! You’d think the list above is all of it. But, there are many many more.
However, when the Nigerian Labour Congress decided to organise a protest against all of these in February this year, the country’s president, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu criticised it, cautioning the Labour movement to know that it is not the only voice of Nigerians.
“The labour union should understand that no matter how much we cling to our freedom and rights… to call for strike within nine months of an administration is unacceptable.
“If you want to participate in the electoral process, wait until 2027. If not, maintain peace; you are not the only voice of Nigerians.”
The president insisted that reforms - without palliative measures or consideration of the plight of Nigerians - will continue unabated.
In that sense, several clerics have stepped out to make an attempt to stop any form of protest.
What clerics are saying about protests
The Chairman, Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’kamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), Katsina, Sheikh Yakubu Musa, urged youths to shun any planned nationwide protest against economic hardship for peaceful coexistence in the country.
“Instead of getting out of that hardship, we may end up jumping into a bigger one.
“Like here in Katsina, we are also disturbed by insecurity.
“We should shun the planned protest. We should not be part of it, our youths should also shun from being part of it.
“Because it could destroy the nation, we have seen what happened in some countries where as a result of protest, the countries had been thrown into war and total destruction,” he warned.
Controversial factional leader of the Izala movement, Sheik Sani Yahaya Jingir, criticised Nigerians protesting the hardship resulting from President Tinubu’s economic policies.
“Just because there is hunger now in Nigeria, Christians against a Muslim-Muslim ticket, and Shiites and hypocrites who don’t like the Muslim-Muslim ticket are now calling for you to come out and protest. May Allah undermine all planned protests,” he said.
“Even in Makkah, there was a period in history when hunger was so severe that people were eating dry bones,” the cleric said. “Is hunger a new thing? Is this the first time hunger has plagued nations?”
Jingir added, “May Allah curse those who are planning to protest.”
Prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Muhammad Kabir Haruna Gombe, appealed to the youth to prioritise peace and avoid participating in the planned protest over hunger and insecurity.
“The Holy Qur’an and the Holy Bible both emphasise peace over chaos,” he stated, urging adherence to these principles in times of adversity.
New Telegraph - with the motto “Sanctity of truth” - starts a news piece like this: “...some faceless Nigerians insist on carrying out mass protests against hunger, suffering and lack of finances among citizens…” then the author, Muhammad Kabir, goes ahead to say that hundreds of Islamic Clerics, Jummaat Mosques Imams and other Preaching Imams, have cautioned against going on with the mass movement.
The newspaper stated that Sheik Dr Bashir Aliyu Umar of Alfurqan Jummaat Mosque, said while preaching against the planned protests, that Nigerians should look back and take cognisance of what had happened to countries, who because of similar conditions took to protests but today, they are regretting.
He said: “Countries like Sudan, Libya, Iraq, and many others were living peacefully but with some economic difficulties, they were intoxicated with the idea of protesting against the government. Look at what those protests led their countries to.”
Like the clerics from 2023, Dr Bashir asks Nigerians to continue praying.
All the clerics cited in the piece focus on the violence that protests usually draw. So, Nigerians must sit at home and hope God or Allah intervenes at some point.
However, on his own part, controversial Islamic cleric, Sheik Dr. Ahmad Gumi urged Nigerians to engage in peaceful protests as a means of conveying their grievances to the government, emphasising that protests are a crucial tool for driving change.
"Protest is the only language the government understands," he asserted, urging authorities to heed the calls for reform and improvement.
Nigerians, government reacts to New York Times report on Nigeria's economy
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the report done by the New York Times publication, which analysed Nigeria's dire socio-economic conditions, provoked the Federal Government but impressed the citizens.
According to the report, Nigerians were experiencing the worst economic crisis in decades, with prices of food, medicine, and petrol too high for many to afford, and the government making it difficult for businesses operate.